Car construction



1942- s. SIMONSON CAR CONSTRUCTION Filed Dec. 20, 1939 2 Shets-Sheet 1Feb. 3, 1942. s. SIMONSON CAR CONSTRUCTION Filed Dec. 20, 1959 2Sheets-Shqet 2 Patented Feb. 3, 1942 CAR CONSTRUCTION Sigvard Simonson,Butler, Pa., assignor to C.

Duryea Corporation, Wilmington, Del., a corporation of DelawareApplication December 20, 1939, Serial No. 310,235

19 Claims.

This invention relates to railway car underframes of the Duryea typethat provides long travel for resisting draft and buffing shocks withlow forces, together with independently predetermined and preferablyshorter train slack travel.

The Duryea underframe, as described for example in U. S. Patent No.1,693,194, granted November 27,1928, to Otho C. Duryea, embodies a draftand buffing column that is movable longitudinally relative to the carbody in response to draft and buffing forces, long travel cushioningmeans being interposed between the column and the car body bolsters.Draft and bufling forces may suitably be transmitted to the column bycouplers mounted at the ends of the column and capable of train slackmovement relative thereto of predetermined limited extent. The draft andbuffing column takes the place of the usual rigid center sills, passingslidably through uitable openings in the body bolsters and "usuallyhaving frictional load supporting engagement with the car floor betweenthe bolsters.

In the form usually employed heretofore, the draft and buffing columnhas comprised spaced parallel channels connected together at suitablepoints by cover plates, tie plates and thelike. In order to provideopenings through the bolsters for the passage of the column, and at thesame time to maintain the strength required in the bolsters to supportthe vertical load of the car body and lading as Well as longitudinaldraft and buffing forces, it has also been thepractice heretofore toemploy bolster center brace construction such as disclosed for examplein U. S. Patent No. 1,938,744, issued December 12, 1933, to Otho C.Duryea. In such bolsters the upper part of the center brace constructionforms a beam of substantial vertical extent extending laterally over thetops of the spaced channels, the central depending part being slidablyembraced by the channels. Hence it has not been practicable to connectthe channels for considerable portions of their length adjacent thebolsters, and it has accordingly been found desirable to strengthen themat these points in various ways, as shown for example in U. S. PatentNo. 1,963,215, issued June 19, 1934, to Sigvard Simonson and in thecopending application of OthoC. Duryea, Serial No. 298,653, filedOctober 9, 1939. These arrangement have added to the weight and cost ofthe underframe and have made it impracticable to employ standard formsof sills used in cars of conventional design. Furthermore the car floorha been raised somewhat above the height of the conventional car floordue to the greater height of the .bolster structure.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a draft andbuffing column of uniform cross section throughout its length.

Another object is to permit the use of center sills of standard size andshape, particularly the recently adopted center sill formed of 2sections having their upper flange turned inwardly and welded togetherthroughout the length of the sill.

Another object is to provide novel bolster construction which is strongand rigid but which at the same time permits the passage withoutinterference of a draft and bufling column of the type referred toimmediately above.

A further object is to eliminate the special strengthening means for thedraft and bufiing column heretofore employed adjacent the bolsters.

Other object are to decrease the floor height of the car to that of theconventional car and to decrease the weight and cost of the underframe.

One embodiment of the invention ha been illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, but it is tobe expressly understood that said drawings are forpurpose of illustration only-and are not to be taken as a definition ofthe limits of the invention, reference being had to the appended claimsfor this purpose.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1' is a plan view showing a draft and bu1f-' ing column andassociated bolster construction embodying the invention; I

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section taken on the line 4--4 of Fig. 2; and

Figs. 5 and 6 are respectively vertical sections taken on the lines 55and 66 of Fig. 1.

It has been proposed heretofore in different embodiments of the Duryeaunderframe to place the cushioning springs either on the outer side ofthe bolster between it and the coupler or on the inner side of thebolster. The underframe shown herein is of the latter type, but it willbe understood that the invention is also applicable to underframes ofthe former type as shown for example in the copending application ofSimonson, Serial No. 324,731, filed March 18, 1940.

Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals indicatelike parts, the draft and buffing column preferably comprises twoparallel Z sections Hi, It having their lower horizontal flanges I Iturned outwardly and their upper horizontal flanges l2 turned inwardlyand Welded together at I3 throughout their length. The members l0, itthu comprise an integral draft and buffing column extendingsubstantially the length of the car body and having throughout itslength a uniform cross section which is sub-- stantially that of aninverted channel or U. It

will be understood that the members It are preferably of standard sizeand shape so that the draft and buffing column corresponds to standardspecifications for the center sills employed in conventional cars.

Draft and buffing forces are preferably transmitted to the column ID bymeans of couplers mounted at the ends thereof in any suitable manner,provision being preferably made for a predetermined amount of trainslack movement of the couplers relative to the column on buff only andsuch train slack movement being suitably cushioned as by means of acoupler cushion spring, Various means for mounting the couplers at theends of the draft and buffing column are known in the art and theparticular means shown herein is for illustration only and constitutesno part per se of the present invention. In the form shown, a casting I4is inserted in the end of the draft and buffing column, said castinghaving inwardly extending arms l5 suitably welded to the webs of themembers l0 and provided with ribs l6 defining openings I! for a couplerkey IS. A coupler shank I9 is indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 4 and isprovided with an opening through which the key |8 extends. The coupleris normally maintained in the position shown in Fig. 4 wherein the innerside of the opening 20 engages the inner edge of the key I8 and theouter edge of the key engages the outer end of the openings Hence when adraft force is exerted on the coupler, the draft and buffing column I0is moved outwardly relative to the car body without train slack, but onbuff the coupler moves inwardly relative to the key It and thereafterthe coupler and key together move inwardly relative to the column toprovide train slack movement that is limited as hereinafter described.This train slack movement of the coupler is cushioned by a couplerspring 2| housed in a pocket 22 of a casting 23 suitably secured to thecolumn H! as by welding the same between the webs of the members It, l0.On inward movement of the coupler relative to the column, the butt ofthe coupler shank l9 engages a follower plate 24 and moves it inwardly,compressing the spring 2|, until the follower plate engages the outerend of the casting 23. Hence the space 25 between the follower plate 24and the casting 23 limits the train slack movement of the coupler, andinward movement of the coupler beyond this amount causes the draft andbuffing column to move inwardly.

During its movement under draft and bufiing forces as described above,the column l0 passes slidably through openings in the car body bolsterswhich are shaped to conform to the cross section of the column and topermit its movement therethrough without alteration in the shape of thecolumn as has been the practice heretofore. These openings arepreferably so designed that the upper surface of the draft and bufiingcolumn is at substantially the height of the upper surface of thebolster construction, while at the same time provision is made under thecolumn and in the space between the members l0, l0 for the center braceconstruction needed to support the vertical load of the car body andlading as well as the horizontal draft and buffing forces transmitted tothe bolster by the cushioning means referred to above. The bolsterconstruction is shown more particularly in Figs. 2, 3 and l. The bolstercomprises a top cover plate 26 extending from side to side of the carand bottom cover plates 21 extending inwardly from the sides of the carto points adjacent the draft and buffing column. The top and bottomcover plates are connected by vertical diaphragms 28 and also by torquearms 29 which extend outwardly from the bolster construction and aresuitably connected to the end sill of the car.

As shown in Fig. 3, the top cover plate 26 and the vertical webs of thetorque arms 29 form three sides of an opening through the bolster forthe passage of the draft and bufling column ID, the upper surface of thecolumn passing closely adjacent the lower surface of the top coverplate. The bolster structure is completed by center brace structure,here shown as a casting indicated generally at 30, which extends underand supports the draft and buffing column and which is provided with acentral portion extending upwardly between the members l0, ID to form anabutment for the cushioning means described hereinafter. The casting 30comprises lateral horizontal flanges 3|, the side edges of which abutthe inner edges of the bottom cover plates 21 and are preferably weldedthereto, the lower horizontal flanges of the torque arms 29 being alsosuitably secured to said flanges 3| as by means of rivets 32. Flanges 3|are also provided with vertical longitudinally extending webs 33adjacent the vertical webs of the torque arms 29 and suitably securedthereto as by means of rivets 34. In this manner the casting 30 isintegrally connected with the bolster construction in such a manner asto provide the necessary strength in both vertical and horizontaldirections.

The casting 30 may be shaped in any suitable way and as here shown isprovided with inner and outer depending ribs 35 between which is theusual center plate 36 and king pin opening 31 whereby the car is mountedon its trucks. Between the members l0, l0 the casting 3|] is providedwith upwardly extending walls 38 which terminate at the inner side ofthe bolster in an abutment 39 for suitable cushioning means ashereinafter described. The center brace structure thus provides a strongrigid beam construction as an integral part of the bolster to supportthe load of the car body and lading and at the same time affordsstrength and rigidity in a horizontal direction to support draft andbuffing forces.

As shown in Fig. 2 the car floor 40 is supported adjacent the ends ofthe car by the upper flanges of the torque arms29. Intermediate thebolsters the car floor is supported in frictional engagement with thetop of the draft and buffing column I0. Preferably a, friction plate 4|extends longitudinally between the bolsters with its ends 42 suitablysecured to the top cover plates 26 as by means of welding, said platehaving-frictional engagement with the top surface of the draft andbuffing column and the load of the car floor being transmitted to saidplate by suitable filler blocks 43.

The extent vof longitudinal movement of the draft and buffing columnrelative to the car bolsters is limited in any suitable manner. As shownherein a plate 44 is secured as by welding to the upper surface of thedraft and buffing column and is adapted on inward movement of the columnto engage the bolster cover plate 25. Similar plates 45 are secured tothe top surface of the draft and buffing column, one on each side of thefriction plate 4|, and are adapted on outward movement of the draft andbuffing column to engage the bolster cover plate 23. Additional plates48 and 4? connect the lower flanges of the members Ii), [0, beingpreferably welded thereto, and are adapted to engage respectively theouter and inner faces of the casting 30 on inward and outward movementof the draft and bufiing column.

Any suitable means may be employed for cushioning the movement of thedraft and buffing column relative to the car body and bolsters, inaddition to the frictional resistance to such movement that is afiordedby the friction plate M. While additional friction may also be providedif desired, in practice one or more springs are usually suificientand ashere shown, a pair of springs 48 are disposed between the members It, inon the inner side of the bolster, the outer ends of said springsengaging a suitable follower plate 39 which in turn engages the bolsterabutment S9. The inner ends of said springs likewise engage a suitablefollower plate 58 which is held against inward movement by links 5|extending through the springs 48 and follower plate 58 and suitablyconnected to the bolster abutment 39 as by means of pins 53. The springsit may be supported in any suitable manner as by means of plates 5dextending between the webs of the members iii, It, as shown more clearlyin Fig. 6. On outward movement of the draft and outing column, the innerfollower plate 51] is engaged and moved outwardly by suitable stops 55secured to the members l0, ill in any suitable manner, and on inwardmovement of the column the outer follower plate 69 is similarly engagedby suitable stops 55, said stops being secured to the members m, H) inany suitable manner as by welding.

The operation of the underframe will be understood from the foregoingdescription. When a draft force is applied to the column if! at the endof the car shown in the drawings, said column moves outwardly or to theright as seen in the figures without train slack due to the normalposition of the coupler shank l9 and key l8 as described above. Stops 55engage and move the follower plate 58 outwardly, compressing the springs48 against the follower plate #29 which is held against the bolsterabutment 39. The draft force is thus resisted by the compression of thesprings as well as by the friction between the plate ii and the top ofthe draft and buffing column. If the draft force is great enough, theoutward movement of the column is finally limited by engagement of thestop plates 45 and 41 with the bolster. The parts are returned to thenormal position shown in the drawings by expansion of the springs l8,the return movement being snubbed by friction between the plate 4| andthe column Hi. When a bufilng force is applied to the column, thecoupler first moves inwardly or to the left as shown in the drawings byan amount determined by .the space 25 as above described, this couplermovement being cushioned by the coupler spring 2 l. The follower 24%then engages the casting 23 and thereafter the column i9 is movedinwardly or to the left, the stops 56 engaging the follower plate 49 andcompressing the springs 48 against the follower plate 5i! which is heldstationary by the links 5!. This movement of the column is accordinglyresisted by compression of the springs 43 as well as by the frictionafforded by the engagement of the plate 45 with the top of the column.If the buffing force is great enough, inward movement of the column isfinally limited by engagement of the stop plates 44' and 46 with thebolster. The

parts are again returned to the normal position shown in the drawings byexpansion of the springs 48, the return movement being again snubbed bythe friction between the plate ii and the column Ill.

It will be seen that an underframe embodying the invention enables theuse of a draft and buffing column having. a uniform cross sectionthroughout its length which may conform to standard specifications forthe rigid center sill of the conventional car, in particular therecently adopted center sill formed of Z sections as described above. Byreason of this construction, special strengthening means heretoforeemployed adjacent the bolsters are also eliminated. Weight and cost ofthe underframe are reduced, while' at the same time a strong rigidbolster is provided which supports the load of the car body and ladingand horizontal draft and buffing forces as well.

While only one embodiment of the invention has been illustrated anddescribed, it will now be understood by those skilled in the art thatthe invention is not limited thereto but is capable of a variety ofembodiments, and also that various changes may be made in the form,details of construction and arrangement of parts without departing fromthe spirit of the invention. Reference is accordingly to be had to theappended claims for a definition of the limits of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a railway car, a draft and bumng column extending substantiallythe length of the car and having substantially the cross section of aninverted 'U throughout its length, car body bolsters each having anopening through which said column is movable and comprising bolstercenter brace structure extending beneath and supporting said column andhaving a central portion extending upwardly within said column,

and cushioning means housed within said column and interposed betweensaid column and central portion for resisting movement of said column.

2. In a railway car, a draft and bumng column comprising parallelvertical members and means connecting the upper edges of said membersthroughout their length to form a column closed at the top and open atthe bottom, a car body bolster having an opening through which saidcolumn passes slidably with its top surface closely adjacent the top ofthe" bolster, said bolster comprising a center brace casting extendinglaterally beneath said vertical members to support said column andupwardly within said column, and cushioning means housed within saidcolumn and interposed between it and the upwardly extending portion ofsaid casting for resisting movement of the column.

3. In a railway car, a draft and buffing column movable longitudinallyof the car body and comprising an inverted channel closed at the topthroughout its length and open at the bottom, a body bolster comprisinga top cover plate and bolster structure extending inwardly from thesides of the car, said cover plate and the inner ends of said structureforming three sides of an opening through which said column passes,bolster center brace structure extending beneath and supporting saidcolumn and also extending upwardly within said column, and cushioningmeans housed in said column and interposed between it and said upwardlyextending structure for resisting movement of the column.

4. In a railway car, body bolster structure comprising a top cover plateextending transversely of the car, bottom cover plates extendinginwardly from the sides of the car to spaced points adjacent the centerof the car, vertical members connecting said top and bottom cover platesand extending longitudinally of the car at the inner ends of said bottomcover plates, said vertical members and said top cover plate formingthree sides of a bolster opening, a draft and bufling column movablelongitudinally of the car through said opening and comprising throughoutits length an inverted channelshaped member, additional bolsterstructure extending beneath and supporting said column and having aportion extending upwardly within said column, and cushioning meanshoused within said column and interposed between it and said upwardlyextending portion for resisting movement of said column.

5. In a railway car, body bolsters each having a central openingtherethrough and comprising bolster structure extending inwardly fromthe sides of the car to the edges of said Opening,

means including a bolster cover plate connecting said structure oversaid opening, and a bolster center brace connecting said structure belowsaid opening, a draft and bufling column extending substantially thelength of the car body and having throughout its length th uniform crosssection of an inverted channel closed at the top, said column passingslidably through said openings and being supported by said center brace,abutment means on said center brace, and cushioning means housed withinsaid column and interposed between it and said abutment means forresisting movement of said column.

6. In a railway car, body bolsters each having a central openingtherethrough and comprising bolster structur extending inwardly from thesides of the car to the edges of said opening, means including a bolstercover plate connecting said structure over said opening, and a bolstercenter brace connecting said structure below said opening, a draft andbufiing column extending substantially the length of the car body andcomprising parallel vertical members having upper flanges turned towardeach other and welded mgether throughout the length of the column, saidcolumn passing slidably through said openings, and means for cushioningdraft and bufiing forces interposed between said column and said centerbrace.

'7. In a railway car, body bolsters each having a central openingtherethrough and comprising bolster structure extending inwardly fromthe sides of the car to the edges of said opening, means including a.bolster cover plate connecting said structure over said opening, and abolster center brace connecting said structure below said opening, adraft and bufiing column extending substantially the length of the carbody and having throughout its length the uniform cross section of aninverted channel closed at the top, said column passing slidably throughsaid openings and being supported by said center brace, abutment meanson said center brace, and cushioning means adjacent each bolster forresistingmovement of said column, said cushioning means comprising oneor more springs each housed within said column inwardly of its adjacentbolster and interposed between said abutment means and said column.

8. In a railway car, a body bolster having a central openingtherethrough and comprising bolster structure extending inwardly fromthe sides of the car to the edges of said opening, means including abolster cover plate connecting said structure over said opening, and abolster center brace connecting said structure below said opening, saidcenter brace having vertical longitudinally extending walls at the edgesof said opening and said walls being connected to said structure, adraft and buffing column passing slidably through said opening andsupported by said center brace, said column having throughout its lengththe uniform cross section of an inverted channel closed at the top and aportion of said center brace extending upwardly within said column, andcushioning means housed within said column and interposed between saidcolumn and said center brace portion for resisting movement of saidcolumn.

9. In a railway car, a body bolster having a central openingtherethrough and comprising bolster structure extending inwardly fromthe sides of the car to the edges of said opening, means including abolster cover plate connecting said structure over said opening, and abolster center brace connecting said structure below said opening, saidcenter brace having vertical longitudinally extending walls at the edgesof said opening and said walls being connected to said structure, adraft and buffing column passing slidably through said opening andsupported by said center brace, said column having throughout its lengththe uniform cross section of an inverted channel closed at the top and aportion of said center brace extending upwardly within said column, andcushioning means for resisting movement of said column comprising one ormore springs housed within said column inwardly of the bolster andinterposed between the bolster and the column.

10. In a railway car, adraft and buffing column extending substantiallythe length of the car body and movable longitudinally relative thereto,vertical bolster structure extending inwardly from both sides of the carand terminating adjacent the sides of said column, means connecting saidvertical structures at the top of the bolster, a center brace structurespaced vertically from said connecting means and extending between andrigidly connected to said vertical structures at the bottom of thebolster, said column passing through an opening extending between theinner ends of said vertical structures and between said center brace andconnecting means, and means interposed between said column and centerbrace structure for resisting movement of said column.

11. In a railway car, a draft and buffing column extending substantiallythe length of the car body and movable longitudinally relative thereto,vertical bolster structure extending inwardly from both sides of the carand terminating adjacent the sides of said column, said column passingthrough a central bolster opening which adjacent the top of the bolsterextends transversely without interruption between the inner ends of saidvertical structures, a center brace structure for supporting the load ofthe car body and its lading and connected to and extending between saidvertical structures below said column, and means interposed between saidcolumn and center brace structure for resisting movement of said column.

12. In a railway car, a draft and bufiing column extending substantiallythe length of the car body and movable longitudinally relative thereto,vertical bolster structure extending inwardly from both sides of the carand terminating adjacent the sides of said column, said column passingthrough a central bolster opening which adjacent the top of the bolsterextends transversely without interruption between the inner ends of saidvertical structures, a center brace structure extending between saidvertical structures below said column and comprising verticallongitudinally extending walls secured to the inner ends of saidvertical structures, and means interposed between said column and centerbrace structure for resisting movement of said column.

13. In a railway car, a draft and buffing column extending substantiallythe length of the car body and movable longitudinally relative thereto,vertical bolster structure extending inwardly from both sides of the carand terminating adjacent the sides of said column, said column passingthrough a central bolster opening which adjacent the top of the bolsterextends transversely without interruption between the inner ends of saidvertical structures, a center brace structure extending between saidvertical structures below said column with its ends secured to saidvertical structures, said center brace comprising an upwardly extendingportion substantially at its center, and cushioning means interposedbetween said portion and said column for cushioning relative movement ofsaid column and car body.

14. In a railway car, a draft and bufiing column extending substantiallythe length of the car body and movable longitudinally relative thereto,vertical bolster structure extending inwardly from both sides of the carand terminating adjacent the sides of said column, said column passingthrough an opening between the inner ends of said vertical structures atthe top of the bolster and having at said opening the cross section ofan inverted U, a center brace structure connected to said verticalstructures and extending therebetween below said column, and meansinterposed between said column and center brace structure for resistingmovement of said column.

15. In a railway car, a draft and buffing column extending substantiallythe length of the car body and movable longitudinally relative thereto,vertical bolster structure extending inwardly from both sides of the carand terminatcross section of an inverted U, a center brace extendingbetween said vertical structures below said column and comprisingvertical longitudinally extending walls secured to the inner ends ofsaid vertical structures, and means interposed between said column andcenter brace for resisting movement of said column.

16. In a railway car, the combination of a draft and bufiing columnmovable longitudinally relative to the car body, a car body bolsterhaving an opening through which said column is movable, said columnhaving at said opening the cross section of an inverted U and saidbolster comprising center brace structure extending beneath andsupporting said column, and means interposed between said column andcenter brace structure for cushioning said relative movement betweensaid column and car body.

17. In a railway car, a draft and bufling column extending substantiallythe length of the car body and movable longitudinally relative thereto,a body bolster comprising bolster sections extending inwardly from thesides of the car and terminating at points spaced from the longitudinalcenter line of the car, said column passing through a central bolsteropening which adjacentthe top of the bolster extends transverselywithout interruption between the inner ends of said bolster sections andhaving a continuous transverse cross section as it passes through saidopening, a bottom beam construction below said column for connecting andsupporting said sections comprising spaced transverse beam membersadjacent the inner and outer sides of the bolster and means connectingsaid members and including a center plate, and means interposed betweensaid column and beam construction for cushioning relative movementbetween said column and car body.

18. In a railway car, a draft and bufling column extending substantiallythe length of the car body and movable longitudinally relative thereto,a body bolster comprising bolster sections extending inwardly from thesides of the car and terminating at points spaced from the longitudinalcenter line of the car, said column passing through a central bolsteropening which adjacent the top of the bolster extends transverselywithout interruption between the inner ends of said bolster sections andhaving a continuous transverse cross section as it passes through saidopening, a bottom beam construction below said column for connecting andsupporting said sections comprising spaced transverse beam membersadjacent the inner and outer sides of the bolster andmeans connectingsaid members including a center plate and vertical longitudinal wallssecured to the inner ends of said sections, and means interposed betweensaid column and beam construction for cushioning relative movementbetween said column and car body.

19. In a railway car, a draft and buffing column extending substantiallythe length of the car body and movable longitudinally relative thereto,a body bolster comprising bolster sections extending inwardly from thesides of the car and terminating at points spaced from the longitudinalcenter line of the car, said column passing through a central bolsteropening which adjacent the top of the. bolster extends transverselywithout interruption between the inner ends of said bolster sections andcomprising spaced connected vertical members having a continuoustransverse cross section as said column passes through said opening, abottom beam construction below said column for connecting and supportingsaid sections comprising spaced transverse beam members adjacent theinner and outer sides of the bolster and vertical longitudinal wallsconnecting said beam members and extending upwardly in said openingbetween said spaced vertical members, and means interposed between saidcolumn and said upwardly extending walls for cushioning relativemovement between said column and car body.

SIGVARD SIMONSON.

